When the pandemic hit us in March 2020, it felt like the world was freefalling. The Dow Jones had been flirting with an all-time high just days before, and suddenly millions of people were unemployed, iconic firms begged for bailouts and small businesses everywhere trembled in fear. In this time of crisis, CEOs were called upon to make decisions on the fly—decisions that could either save them or not. It is these stories that Liz Hoffman captures in her upcoming book Crash Landing: The Inside Story of How the World’s Biggest Companies Survived an Economy on the Brink.
As a CEO myself during this period, I remember how terrifying those uncertain days were. There was no precedent for such sudden disruption and all leaders—public and private—were ill-prepared for the pandemic. I am sure that Hoffman’s book will share the drama and intrigue in the face of great turmoil, as CEOs gathered at Davos and the White House to make life-or-death decisions about their companies’ futures.
For a different perspective on these events, please also check out my book A Test for Our Time: Crisis Leadership in the Next Normal. It focuses on a company that was able to rise above the chaos of 2020 by developing innovative COVID-19 test products to keep us all safe. It is a story of hope that we can all relate to during troubled times.
So, if you want to read an account of how the world’s biggest companies weathered the pandemic, pick up Liz Hoffman’s Crash Landing. And if you want to get inspired by an underdog story of beating adversity and thriving, check out my book A Test for Our Time: Crisis Leadership in the Next Normal. Both are sure to provide insight and hope in this currently tumultuous world.
I hope that both books will help us all to better understand our past and look ahead to an even brighter future.
#ATestForOurTime #CrisisLeadership #NextNormal #CrashLanding